Opening The TCFC & Pima County Transition Center on Silverlake Road (Pima County Jail Site). TCFC Meets with Congressman Ciscomani to discuss Federal support and solutions!
TCFC : Who are we?
** We are non-partisan
** Volunteers
** Grass Roots
** We have no budget
** We work directly with Pima County Administration, Federal, State, Local
Leaders, Businesses and Citizens
Content of This Week’s Newsletter:
- Transition Center Opening
- City of Tucson Study Session May 9th to continue the Free Bus
- TCFC Meeting with Congressman Ciscomani
- TCFC Spoke to Catalina Rotary
- TCFC May 9th, Speaking on a Panel with TPD Chief Kasmar and Dan Ranieri, CEO, La Frontera
Phase One TRANSITION CENTER OPENING!
Your TCFC Steering Leaders and Pima County administration have been working together since August 2022. Phase one of the Transition Center has a projected opening date of June. The Transition Center represents one of the first major solutions TCFC has spearheaded with Pima County. It will link people directly to the services they need after arrest or upon jail release. The Transition Center will target reducing repeat offenders with an array of services. Hundreds of individuals will be offered help each month! The other goal of the Transition Center is to have officers make arrests knowing that those who are arrested will have an increased chance of not being immediately re-arrested.
The Transition Center will provide an opportunity for those committing crime to break the cycle of addiction and crime, getting them off the street and direct access to support services. Those who want to continue to fuel their addiction by committing crime can go to jail, but the Transition Center will offer help to those that want it! Without this option, people are more likely to do what they have been doing now and simply leave after arrest and go back to continued addiction and crime! They don't show up for their court date.
As a bonus, the Transition center can also serve anyone who wants services by just showing up!
Spread the word! Pima County needs to hire four Justice Navigators within the next Month! APPLY NOW!!!! These jobs will be filled fast!
$20-$23 per hour. If you have:
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Experience working as a Peer Support Specialist or similar position.
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Experience with motivational interviewing training.
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Recovery Support Specialist Certification.
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Familiarity with the criminal justice system either through first-hand experience or as a family member of an individual who has completed incarceration.
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Experience with/knowledge of local treatment, housing, transportation, and other community resources.
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Experience de-escalating and communicating effectively with individuals in crisis.
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Experience making a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
The Transition Center adds additional space to the pre-trial services existing modular at the Pima County Jail where officers take those to be arrested. Individuals being released from jail will also have the opportunity to utilize these services. Justice Navigators will help individuals navigate services of non-profits, government and other wrap around services.
Birds Eye View of the Phase One, Empty Transition Center Site
Two of the THREE Modular’s (Phase One) on-site right Now!
While Pima County stands up Phase One, TCFC and Pima County Administration are discussing plans for Phase Two of the Transition Center that could have extended services in the nearby, empty, 55,000 sqft Jail Annex building on Mission Road. Services may include custodial care involving more community partners and non-profits that can provide drug detox and other services. Phase Two has the potential to relieve stress on the Jail keeping space open for other criminals.
City of Tucson May 9th, Afternoon Study Session to Continue the FREE BUS
This Tuesday, May 9th Mayor and Council, will discuss, and potentially vote, in the afternoon Study Session, to further continue the Free Sun Tran Bus. TCFC supports returning to a fare based ridership. TCFC is always supportive for reduced fare for those in need who qualify. This has served Tucson well historically.
One month ago April 10th, TCFC submitted a Freedom of Information Request for crime data from Sun Tran and the City of Tucson that forms the basis of the concerns by the Driver’s Union for safety of drivers and riders. There has been no response to date. City staff have discussed “assaults” in the public meeting and Steve Kozachik was very upset about crime on busses a year ago so we want to see the numbers and we plan to share them with you.
Please review the table how they plan to fund the free bus until December 30
TCFC is very concerned about the accounting methods used and funding sources in this table. Please look yourself.
The link to the agenda item is here:
Mayor and Council appear to doing whatever it takes to make Sun Tran Free with no mention about addressing the documented Crime.
TCFC Meeting with Congressman Ciscomani
On Monday the TCFC Steering Committee met with Congressman Ciscomani at his office in Tucson. TCFC discussed our initiatives to address crime in Pima County. The Congressman and team discussed future collaboration initiatives that his office can champion between Federal, State and Local Resources!
Left to Right, Marie Daily, Kevin Daily, Congressman Ciscomani, Monica Carlson, Josh Jacobsen
TCFC was Guest Speaker at Catalina Rotary
TCFC Steering Leaders spoke last Friday to the Catalina Rotary about the Crime and Fentanyl Issues in Pima County. We discussed the problem and the solutions TCFC and Pima County Administration are working together including the New Transition Center opening in June.
Thank you Catalina Rotary for your hospitality and being such an amazing group helping our Community and WORLD!
TCFC May 9th, Speaking on Panel with TPD Chief Kasmar and Dan Ranieri, CEO, La Frontera
On May 9th, The TCFC Steering Committee will be a panelist alongside TPD Chief Kasmar and Dan Ranieri, CEO of La Frontera. We are looking forward to discussion the problem and the many solutions we have working together!
Answer for Tothie: for many years now the biggest homeless resource has been – “TPCH.NET”. Locations of free food (faith based and govt based locations), numbers and locations for out-patient/ in-patient drug/alcohol/mental health counseling/ programs. Our county jail has handed that booklet out to all released arrestees for at least 5-6 years. TPD patrol officers have been handing that out for 3-4 years now. When they are heavy into the meth and fentanyl they have a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) – many will not go and help themselves. That’s why the local criminal justice system MUST have a balanced “Stick or the Carrot method” programs. Our City Mayor and Council does not have that approach at their city court, they are solely responsible for failing our SUD community and the general safety for the rest of us. But open the “TPCH.NET” up and having a working knowledge of it will be more sellable to this small subculture that overwhelms our court system with all the crime they create over and over. City of Tucson’s new pilot program called, “community court” at city court is suppose to bring that balance (stick or the carrot) but we will see. I think it will start out OK but after the elections this Nov. the Mayor and Council will water it down where it will be no longer effective.
Ditto Ann’s comment! I bike the loop weekly and pass dozens and dozens of encampments. I have always thought to myself, “do these people even know who to call or where to go for help?” I have thought in the past I might make little business cards with services and phone numbers and have them with me to pass out to these people and the many panhandlers in midtown. But I have never known what information to put on them because the city is so opaque with providing it. If you all could give us the phone numbers, email addresses, websites for service – that would be so helpful. Thanks for everything you are doing. It is a long, slow process but every step you guys take is appreciated and brings us closer to cleaning up crime and addiction.
When does the Sun Tran contract with the City of Tucson come up for renewal?
Great job on all your progress TCFC! The transition center is a phenomenal idea. I would like to suggest a top level summary of services that will be provided in a size and format that could easily be downloaded and printed by anyone. I would love to hand these out, along with a candy bar or something, to all the pan handlers I came across driving around town.
Until the Mayor and Council get their head out of…..the sand on the issue of public safety, I see no improvement to crime and drug use in Tucson.
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